On a visit to Margate, Kent in 2016, we visited Dreamland, a pleasure park on the sea front. We had visited a few years ago, but its heyday was during the 50’s and 60’s, I found some photos on a wall of that era and took a few shots to compare, but unfortunately in 2016 it was not quite recapturing the past. I have read that in 2017 the park was relaunched, so I think another visit is required to see any difference, before and after posts. There has been a pleasure park on the site since 1880, and it would be wonderful if it is able to continue.
The above photos are the ones I found on the wall and the below photos are mine, just to compare.
I have also added a few random shots of Margate to capture a little of the seaside resort.
Echoes of the Past 
Hopeful their upgrade keeps the place active! The face painting makes me smile,love the clock tower.
Well I think they have spent a lot of money, so it will be interesting to see the difference, maybe in the summer we will visit 🙂 Its a nice little seaside resort, with lots going on 🙂
Ironic that the entrance to Dreamland you show was so unprepossessing, even forbidding; Nightmareland would have been my impression, a bit like Banksy’s Dismal-land which he set up in Weston-super-Mare as a social commentary on Disney land.
Oh you are so right, its a shame, but I think they have spent a lot of money, so it will be interesting to see if there is any difference 🙂
It seems like I remember Margate being mentioned in an old book…..one of Jane Austen’s maybe? I will have to keep an eye out for it when I do my annual summer read through of all her books. Interesting post as usual!
Thank you Carla, glad you liked it and it is possible Jane was in Margate 🙂
I only remember Lyme and Portsmouth as her references to the seaside, but there must be others. Perhaps in the juvenilia, or her unfinished novels?
I think I might be getting mixed up with Charles Dickens 🙂
That sounds more likely! 😊
🙂